Are the combined bullet trains running north of Tokyo as heavily used by commuters as the Tokyo-Osaka route?

[bluejeans]

I've heard that the Tokaido actually runs at (mostly) full capacity and all the other bullet trains serve relatively lightly populated areas. Someone bought it up as a response to why the JR pass doesn't include Nozomis... they need them so everyone can get home...

[katoftw]

Up to sendai and morioka they can be very heavily patronized.

 

But yes simply, Tokyo and Osaka are japans two biggest cities. Traveling between them would be heavily patronized.

 

I saw you question on japan guide.

[bluejeans]

8 minutes ago, katoftw said:

Up to sendai and morioka they can be very heavily patronized.

 

But yes simply, Tokyo and Osaka are japans two biggest cities. Traveling between them would be heavily patronized.

 

I saw you question on japan guide.

 

Have you ever seen fare evasion happen on a bullet train?  Whether pushing through the gates or underpaying?

 

Two things made me think of this... someone with a JR pass deliberately got on a Nozomi heading to Nagoya, got checked just after shin-Yokohama, did the whole confused gaijin act and simply got told to take the correct train at Nagoya... pretty selfish and disrespectful when the time difference would be 10 minutes or less

 

and

 

An Australian english teacher actually made a fraudulent JR pass https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/12/12/national/crime-legal/australian-woman-nabbed-allegedly-attempting-board-shinkansen-fake-rail-pass/#.W77qF7qqyHs

 

Mainly interested as I thought fare evasion would very rarely happen in a country where most people are honest and would prefer to save and go somewhere, or not go at all, rather than cheat their way there.

[katoftw]

I havent seen much issues. I saw a few people with unreserved seats attempt to use reserved seats due to the unreserved cars being full. Conductor moved them along after checks.

[bikkuri bahn]

Quote

Someone bought it up as a response to why the JR pass doesn't include Nozomis... they need them so everyone can get home...

Japan rail passes are classified as discount tickets, much like APEX airline tickets, hence the restrictions.  Many foreigners have this image of a rail pass as some gold-plated "wave it and everyone bows to you benefit", when it's really just a glorified rail rover ticket, albeit a good value one.

[katoftw]

1 minute ago, bikkuri bahn said:

 Many foreigners have this image of a rail pass as some gold-plated "wave it and everyone bows to you benefit", when it's really just a glorified rail rover ticket, albeit a good value one.

I believe there is also angels singing and rainbows everywhere also.

[JR 500系]

The Japan rail pass on its own, IMHO, it's a heaven pass for me as a train fan, even if it doesn't involve Nozomi or Mizuho... Those few minutes rarely make a difference to me, except maybe when I really do wished I could get from Tokyo to Hakata without transferring.... Other than that, it is a massively important and heavily discounted pass if you exploit it to its full potential, by which I believe many of us train fans can and will! 

 

Havent seen much fare evasion (probably because I haven't been there that much), but at least the staff do not ask you to compensate for the fare difference when wrongly riding on the Nozomi with a rail pass, by which in the terms and conditions clearly state that JR is actually allowed to seek the fare difference from the rider for using the Nozomi on a rail pass... They simply and politely ask you to alight at the next stop, which is already pretty nice ~

[bluejeans]

On 10/11/2018 at 9:23 PM, JR 500系 said:

The Japan rail pass on its own, IMHO, it's a heaven pass for me as a train fan, even if it doesn't involve Nozomi or Mizuho... Those few minutes rarely make a difference to me, except maybe when I really do wished I could get from Tokyo to Hakata without transferring.... Other than that, it is a massively important and heavily discounted pass if you exploit it to its full potential, by which I believe many of us train fans can and will! 

 

Havent seen much fare evasion (probably because I haven't been there that much), but at least the staff do not ask you to compensate for the fare difference when wrongly riding on the Nozomi with a rail pass, by which in the terms and conditions clearly state that JR is actually allowed to seek the fare difference from the rider for using the Nozomi on a rail pass... They simply and politely ask you to alight at the next stop, which is already pretty nice ~

 

I think there was a miscommunication when I found myself on a Nozomi, after getting on at Osaka... I told him my intended destination was Tokyo but he seemed surprised that I was still on after Kyoto... "please leave at the next stop, and this is the last train for the night".  Fell over and cut my knee at a capsule hotel in Nagoya and got to experience the Japanese health system though.

[984smurf]

On 10/11/2018 at 2:35 PM, katoftw said:

I havent seen much issues. I saw a few people with unreserved seats attempt to use reserved seats due to the unreserved cars being full. Conductor moved them along after checks.

Was guilty of that. Fortunately we were taking a Tsurugi from Shin-Takaoka to Kanazawa so that would’ve really made little difference from both parties